Open Doors, the Locarno Film Festival’s Locarno Pro-organized co-production platform and talent development program for filmmakers from regions where artistic expression is at risk, has wrapped up its 23rd edition with a focus on the African continent. And on Tuesday, its winners were unveiled.

Following a three-year cycle dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean, the program is now offering a platform for emerging voices from Africa through its Projects, Producers, and Directors programs. It provides training, mentoring, and networking opportunities.

The Locarno fest runs through Aug. 12.

Check out the Open Doors 2025 winners below.

Open Doors Grant  
A total of CHF 50,000 sponsored by visions sud est (with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), the City of Bellinzona, and the Open Doors initiative.   
   
CHF 25,000 ($30,834) to Black Snake, directed by Naishe Nyamubaya, produced by Sue-Ellen Chitunya (Zimbabwe).     
“Janet, her mother Gogo, her husband Petros, and their boy Tino, move into their new home in a remote rural village in the mountainous eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. The family decides to keep their true identity a secret to start a new life. When a mysterious tree suddenly appears at the local church, at the school and at the family’s home, all eyes now fall on the family, who begin to receive unwarranted attention from the local police, the chief, and the village preacher. Petros and Janet fight to control the situation, whilst Gogo and Tino try to uncover the mystery of the tree. When the tree crashes out of their living room, their identity is finally revealed; Gogo was a renowned traditional healer and Janet was a rainmaker. The family were banished from their previous village, accused of witchcraft. Realizing the tree has been following Tino to make him aware of his own gift, the family must either forsake who they were and remain in the village, or embrace who they truly are.”

Jury statement: “A captivating story that explores identity, secrecy, and spiritual legacy through a sensitive and powerful creative vision. Anchored in landscapes and a cultural world rarely seen on screen, and driven by compelling characters, this project holds immense promise. The jury is proud to honor this bold and singular work from Zimbabwe: Black Snake by Naishe Nyamubaya.”  
  
CHF 20,000 ($24,668) to Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes), directed by Dika Ofoma, produced by Blessing Uzzi (Nigeria). 
Synopsis: “In a pre-colonial Igbo society, the warrior chief Obidike and the young maiden Ekemma share a deep love that proves impossible, as it goes against tradition– Obidike has been betrothed to another since birth. When the pressure mounts and they are left with no choice but to part ways, they vow not to let anything come between them if they ever walked the earth again. Set against the picturesque landscape of Enugu, the story turns to the present day, where they have reincarnated as two men: Obidike’s reincarnation is a Nigerian-Italian photographer, while Ekemma is reborn as a Catholic priest-in-waiting. Bound by that ancient oath, they navigate their intense connection, while the photographer grapples with the conflict between his growing feelings for the priest and his commitment to his clerical aspirations. Furthermore, their relationship faces the challenge of being taboo in Nigeria, where homosexuality is widely rejected, adding a painful complexity to their journey, echoing the struggle of their past lives.”

Jury statement: “The award goes to a film with an original narrative structure, where two layers are closely connected. Through a parallel storyline, we gradually approach the revelation of a connection that will unfold over time. We are excited by the complex and challenging approach taken, which will require further work to fully realize. We look forward to seeing this film about love on the big screen soon.”  
  
CHF 5,000 ($6,167) to Journal intime d’une femme chèvre (Diary of a Goat Woman), directed by Azata Soro, produced by Nameïta Lica Touré (Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso).
Synopsis: “The goat, often seen as a defiant creature that bleats loudly when discontent, stands in stark contrast to the compliant sheep. In a patriarchal society, these traits carry symbolic weight.  After years away in exile, Azata must return to Burkina Faso with her daughter for her baptism, a sacred moment believed to shape a child’s destiny: boys are to be strong and girls submissive like sheep. But, as a self-proclaimed goat-woman, Azata has doubts. As she reconnects with loved ones and prepares for the ceremony, she is forced to confront her past: that of a girl who escaped genital mutilation, a veiled teenager assaulted in a mosque, a young woman disfigured on a film set. The baptism becomes a dilemma: What values does she want to pass on? Should her daughter be a sheep or a goat, in a society that punished her mother’s defiance? This film blends live-action and animation to tell a journey deeply personal and political. But above all, it is the story of a goatwoman who refuses to stay silent.”

Jury statement: “This powerful and poetic project confronts silence, tradition, and trauma. Through the journey of a woman who refuses submission, it gives voice to what is often left unsaid. The jury is proud to support a deeply personal reflection on transmission and resistance.”  

CNC Development Grant  
€8,000 ($9,288) for development provided by CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée . 
  
Les Bilokos (The Bilokos), directed by Erickey Bahati, produced by Giresse Kassonga (DR Congo, France) .  
Statement: “By awarding the CNC grant to the documentary project Les Bilokos, directed by Erickey Bahati, the jury aims to support the development of a unique project driven by a strong narrative and human ambition. In a context where representations of the war in the DRC are rare, the film offers a new perspective on this conflict, shedding light on the resilience of former combatants who are now rebuilding their lives in Goma, a city still scarred and shaken by war. The artistic potential of the project also lies in the director’s constant concern to consider the ethical issues that his cinematic approach may raise and how they may impact the direction.”  
    
ARTEKino International Award  
€6,000 ($6,966) for development provided by ARTEKino .
  
Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes), directed by Dika Ofoma, produced by Blessing Uzzi (Nigeria) . 
 Statement: “The Arte Kino International Award goes to a bold and poetic first feature by a promising film director: a plaidoyer for true love – the quintessential subject of cinema – across time and above all borders.”  
  
Sørfond Award  
Participation of the project at the Sørfond pitching event in November, including travel and accommodation.   
  
Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes), directed by Dika Ofoma, produced by Blessing Uzzi (Nigeria).
Statement: “Kachifo is a poetic, visually and narratively ambitious project. It impresses us through the director’s passionate commitment to tell the story about undying love that holds through lifetimes despite cultural and religious opposition, as homosexual relationships are still taboo and widely rejected in Nigeria.”  

Tabakalera-San Sebastian Film Festival Residency Award  
A residency in Tabakalera and taking part in the industry activities of the San Sebastian Film Festival, given in collaboration with the International Culture Center Tabakalera and San Sebastian Film Festival.   
 
Yannick Mizero Kabano (Imitana productions, Rwanda), participant Open Doors Producers . 
Statement: “For producing film projects rooted in their territory but with a universal vocation; for fostering the creation of a national film industry through mentoring and training programs; and for proposing complete cycles of film support from creation to exhibition, the award goes to Yannick Mizero Kabano.”  
 
MECAS Award  
Participation in the International Market for Almost-Finished Films (MECAS), with the opportunity for personalized meetings and networking, including travel and accommodation costs. The next edition of MECAS will take place in Gran Canaria in April 2026.   
 
June Wairegi (Giza Visuals, Kenia).   
Statement: “Our chosen producer is developing a line of independent projects that we find courageous and inspiring. She conveys creativity, sense of initiative, and a vision that connects with us. We hope that June Wairegi finds in MECAS a beautiful and useful space.”  
  
Open Doors – OIF – ACP – EU Award  
A development grant for the value of 2’500 Euros.  
  
Yannick Mizero Kabano (Imitana productions, Rwanda), participant Open Doors Producers .   
Statement: “The prize is for a production company handled by a dynamic and talented new generation of Rwandan producers: Imitana productions represented today in Open Doors by Yannick Mizero Kabano.”  
  
Rotterdam Lab Award   
Provided by the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).  One of the Open Doors Producers participants is offered the opportunity to take part in the next Rotterdam Lab, including accommodation covered by the International Film Festival Rotterdam, along with a contribution to the travel costs by the Locarno Film Festival.   
  
Kamy Lara (Uika Filmes, Angola). 
Statement: “With a career that spans documentaries, commercial films, and her own work as a director, Kamy Lara brings a rare combination of creative vision and production expertise to this new cohort. Her dedication to building bridges through international co-productions and championing female filmmakers in Angola and beyond makes her an inspiring choice for next year’s lab in Rotterdam.”  
  
Open Doors – World Cinema Fund Audience Strategy Award    
The award provided by World Cinema Fund offers a specific program tailored and geared to closely follow the development of an audience engagement strategy.    
   
Kamy Lara (Uika Filmes, Angola) .   
Statement: “We were struck by Kamy Lara’s artistic and socio-cultural interests, and her desire to address complex issues, particularly those relating to a society in flux. Kamy Lara’s work demonstrates her ambition to transform these issues into authentic cinema.”